I started this morning on making a new journal to house my postcards collection. I have fallen under the spell of stitched journals lately, I mentioned what I was making before in this post. Like most things, once you have made one or two (or six), you do develop skills and understanding of how to undertake the project to personalise it to your own requirements and preferences. There are so many clever folk out there who make videos or tutorials to share their experiences, techniques and tips for success: to them many thanks. Sites I have viewed many times include Ephemera's Garden, A Poket Full of Vintage, and Jen of Eve, all do wonderfully helpful and informative videos.

I started off by cleaning out our tea and coffee cupboard, finding a container of Greek fine ground coffee that was long past it's use-by date - since buying the Nespresso machine getting out the briki is not a very frequent event. I worked as consultant for a couple of Greek specific aged care facilities and became very quickly very fond of Greek coffee (known as Turkish coffee away from the facilities ;), but without the sugar. No-one else in the family like the graininess...anyhoo, I used this oldish coffee for my coffee staining medium, simply steeping the coffee in a jug with boiling water for 10 minutes or so then straining it into a baking dish ready to dye the paper. A lot of very fine grounds remains in the mixture, but once the paper has dried these brush off very easily. The coffee was quite strong as I used all I had and has produced a lovely colour on the papers and tags I have dyed so far.

I also dyed a pile of scraps of white and coloured papers cut-offs from a recent project, these came out nicely too, look very foxy indeed!

Also, some commercial luggage labels that have been hovering around in my craft supplies for years waiting for their big moment...

All of these deliciously odourific items have been dried in the oven, brushed down to remove the gritty coffee grounds and stacked under large books on the dining room table to assist with the flattening out process. Sadly the coffee scent leaves the paper quite quickly as I found when I made the junk journal for my daughter who is a self acclaimed coffee junkie...I thought she would love the smell of the paper but by the time it was finished and she had it it was all dissipated. I intend to size up the paper, distress edges and stain with distress inks as my evening task and then sort them all into signatures.The book I am using for the cover is one I have VANDALISED...didn't think I could ever tear up a book, but hey...it's better than putting it on a bonfire and I will be able to use many of the pages etc...

I am going to add about 4 signatures to this book...as it will be used for storing and displaying my postcards I don't want it to be too thick before I start adding them in. Also there will probably be minimal embellishment happening...maybe just a few envies or pockets...will work through that as I go. I do intend to sew through the spine on this one, maybe using a pamphlet stitch. My previous couple had hidden stitching. Also I'm looking forward to making some grungy envelopes from the darkly stained baking paper I dried the coffee papers on, it's lovely!See the Stanley knife? Tim bought me this yesterday and it is my newest and bestest friend! Great on board of all thicknesses and a dream to use...I was so tired of trying to cut thicker items with my scalpel blades and ending up with jaggy miss-cuts...all behind me now. (Another of life's simple pleasures).

In one of the videos I watched the presenter mentioned that having coffee stained dish cloths was a big advantage...but I don't need them, I am making my own! ;)

Better go, the grainy bread I made is smelling like lunch and I think I also hear the patter of visiting paws, how lovely!Bye for now (watch this space!)Di PS Don't forget to leave me a comment, I love getting them...